


The art of mastering words

by Thatswherethelightgetsin



Category: The Mighty Boosh (TV)
Genre: M/M, killeroo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 13:58:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15797940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatswherethelightgetsin/pseuds/Thatswherethelightgetsin
Summary: This is a prompt from @one-more-line over on tumblr:You know my FAVOURITE line from Killeroo: "He was giving you coin, you were giving him booty". I wish you'd write a fic around what happened that night. Why was Howard dancing for Fossil in the moonlight? Was he really in little blue pants? HOW DID THAT GO. And was it really Leroy that told Vince about it? Or did he just not want Howard to know that ~he~ saw it?It's also a retelling of Killeroo.





	The art of mastering words

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are loved and stored up to fuel writing in the future.

Howard loved words. He always had. They helped him escape. He’d never really felt like the world fitted him. He was always the wrong shape; first too small, then alarming too long in the limbs and now mostly too big. He hunched and slouched his way through life, but it didn’t help. He never fitted. But words helped him disappear. From the first time he could remember his mother reading to him the words wove a new world, like a portal opening right there in his bedroom. He’d jumped headfirst into them, hoping in some ways that he’d never have to leave again.

He consumed books back then; it didn’t much matter what sort, although he loved adventures best. Reading of great deeds sometimes made him feel like he might have done them himself. He’d always assumed that if he read enough words the stories would somehow seep into his very fabric. That perhaps he could become one of the heroes he’d read about.

Even when that seemed to be less and less likely as he got older, he thought perhaps words might be able to save him in other ways. When the bullies came. Or when a teacher asked him to answer a question in class. Or when he wanted to talk to someone he really liked. It didn’t work out that way. No matter how he wove them in his own mind, alone at night, or how many he read of other people’s. When it really mattered words always seemed to let him down.

Or perhaps he let them down.

The problem was he could never grasp them when he needed to. With Vince, when they were just mucking about, he could come up with the words he wanted to. He could find the right rhyme to slot alongside Vince’s easily. It was like the words were magnetically attached to Vince’s own, dragged right out of his mouth without him having to really think about it.

But, when it really mattered, when he needed to find the words to save or improve himself, they disappeared. It was so frustrating; it didn’t matter how often he rehearsed a conversation in his head or tried to prepare before an important conversation, the outcome was always the same. His hands balled into fists, heat prickled at his skin and his body locked with terror while his mind remained totally devoid of a single word that he needed.

He still loved words. But sometimes they got him into more trouble than they were worth.

“What you doing, Moon?”

Howard jumped violently. Fossil could move more stealthily than should rightly be allowed.

He turned around, but his mind was already blank. “Nothing,” he managed. It was the correct word at least, but he’d been too slow, he could see that from the change in Fossil’s expression. He’d gone from annoyed to annoyed and curious.

“What you looking at, you steaming pile of rat droppings?” he demanded, craning to look behind Howard, to get the same point of view he’d just had.

Howard looked back, hoping the scene might have changed, but Vince was still there, chatting to a visitor. A very pretty, blond one.

Fossil turned back to look at Howard again, his eyes narrowed. “Why are you creeping on little Vincey?” he asked, his voice sharp.

“I…” Howard scrabbled around for the words, for some string of them that would save him. “I’m not,” he finished lamely.

“You spend all day together, you freaks, what do you need to look at him for when you’re apart?” He stared at Howard for a beat. “Is it because he’s talking to that beautiful woman? She looks like she’d smell of candy floss and mint ice cream.”

The thing about Fossil was that he was a child. An overgrown toddler that hadn’t got the next size-up clothes because he was growing too fast. Perhaps whatever happened to him before coming to the zoo had trapped him in some perpetual childhood. There were probably worse ways to live, but it didn’t make for a fun managerial style. Most of the time it meant violent mood-swings and barely thought-out plans. But, sometimes, it meant that Fossil was able to hone in on the worst possible thing he could say. Like children pointing at someone and asking about the one thing they’d hoped nobody would notice.

“No, I just…” Several options for denials seemed to float just out of reach.

“You fancy Vince?” Fossil said, with such startling clarity that Howard felt like he’d been struck by lightning. “You want to bum my little Vince? My precious little baby boy Vince?”

“What?” Howard stuttered out. “Don’t be ridiculous. He’s just late back from his break and I’m not about to attempt to clean the ferret cages alone, not after last time.”

“Shut it, Moon, you can’t lie any better than the scaly biting machine.” Fossil was advancing toward him. “You fancy Vince, you massive perv.”

No one had said it out loud before. People were always implying they were together, if implying could be stretched to outright saying it. But, oddly, no one had suggested that Howard had feelings for Vince. The impact of hearing the words was strange; being spoken out loud seemed to give them form, a solid weight that made them hang in front of Howard, incontrovertible and real.

The natural thing would be to deny it. But he didn’t know how to do that; it seemed wrong to lie about something that was suddenly so solidly real. Fossil had performed some sort of alchemy – turning something that Howard had never even allowed himself to consider before into undeniable fact. Before he knew it, the silence had dragged on too long for Howard to even manage to save face.

“I’m telling Vince,” Fossil said, his face furious. “He’s too precious to have you trying to bum him at every opportunity, you overgrown turnip.”

“No!” Howard said. “I mean… I don’t fancy Vince!”

Fossil crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes you do, you massive titbox. I knew it. Everyone knew it.”

Howard’s heart was racing in his chest. Fossil couldn’t tell Vince; the very idea was horrifying, making his stomach clench and heart start to race. Even if Howard didn’t exactly know what it meant yet, he knew for sure that Vince finding out was too awful to even contemplate. He could picture the scene so clearly it was like it was already happening: Vince’s look of disgust, Fossil’s mocking words and then the unsurprised scorn of everyone at the zoo that would surely follow. He needed to control the situation, to find some way to stop Fossil from moving around him and towards Vince.

“No,” he said, hearing the shake in his voice and feeling stupid for it. “Just… just wait.”

To his great surprise Fossil paused.

He was so shocked that he actually had a chance to salvage the situation that his mind immediately went blank. His heart continued to pound: he could hear his blood rushing in his ears so loudly that everything else was drowned out. “I… Just…. Don’t say anything, I need- I mean, I don’t…”

Fossil still didn’t go to move around him, but his eyes started to slowly narrow. “You really don’t want me to say anything to Vince?”

“There’s nothing to tell Vince!” he finally managed to say. It didn’t seem very convincing, but he could deal with that later. He’d need a lot of time alone to consider the implications of this, but for now, he just needed Fossil to listen. “I don’t have… I don’t feel that way about him, so there’s nothing to tell.”

But Fossil was back to not listening, he was trying to get around him and back out to the main zoo. Howard darted to the side to block his path.

“Fine, fine,” Howard said, moving to placating rather than commanding. There were really only two options with Fossil: do what he wanted or weather the tantrum. Given this tantrum would mean Vince thinking Howard had feelings for him, it was simply not an option worth considering. “Listen,” he tried, “there’s no need to talk to Vince, is there? Maybe…” his mind raced, “perhaps there’s something that you need.”

Fossil frowned up at him. “Something I need? From you, you monumental idiot magnet?”

“I just mean, maybe I could help you with something and in return maybe you could forget this whole thing?” He tried to use his most reasonable tone. He was at least able to sometimes make people think he knew what he was talking about. It had taken years and years of practice, but if he held eye contact just long enough, put enough authority into his words, sometimes people would go along with him. Mostly those people were Vince, but still, there was a chance it could work.

Fossil paused, he was looking at Howard more clearly suddenly. Howard got a sinking feeling even before he opened his mouth. “There is one thing.”

\-----

“Is this really the only thing you need?” Howard asked. It was dark at least, only the moon was lighting the zoo, but that didn’t stop him feeling ridiculously exposed.

“Shut it, Moon,” Fossil snapped. “I need to prove that I own a strip club or big Bobby Blue Tit is going to have my sweet little hiney.”

“That doesn’t make any sense at all,” Howard pointed out desperately. “Doesn’t he just want the money – can’t we work on finding a way to get you that instead?” Fossil ignored him, so he tried another, desperate tact, “Couldn’t you just go to an actual strip club and take photos there?”

“You know I’m banned from all strip clubs, forever, in every place.” Fossil was barely looking at him, instead staking some euros into a neat pile in front of him.

Howard sighed. It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried everything he could possibly think of to find an alternative already, but surely it was worth one last try. Perhaps some form of words would save him, if only he could find the right ones., even if nothing had worked so far. Not offering to work double shifts. Or offering to clean Fossil’s office. Or even, finally, offering to work free for a month. They’d all fallen onto deaf ears. It was give Fossil a lap dance so he could take some photos to get a crazed loan shark off his back, or he was going to tell Vince.

There were many, many terrible things about the situation he’d found himself in. Just one of which was that Howard wasn’t known for his graceful dance moves. He wasn’t known for his graceful anything, in fact. He had rhythm, that wasn’t the problem, it was more getting his limbs to cooperate all at the same time, in the way he wanted them to. He’d been forced to spend a fairly humiliating few hours researching dance moves. He thought he had a grasp on the basics at the least. The only thing worse than dancing for Fossil while he threw money at him and took photos would be to do it badly.

Fossil suddenly looked up at him. “Why aren’t you in costume?”

His face wanted to heat and drain of colour at the same time. “I thought you were joking,” he said, his voice feeble and small.

The little blue pants hit him in the face by way of answer. He looked around, looking for an escape or at least a distraction. Unusually for the Zoo, there were none on offer. He sighed heavily and trudged behind the nearest enclosure to pull them on. There was no use in trying to reason with Fossil, but he couldn’t help but feel he’d failed himself as he striped off his uniform so he could put on the pants. They seemed like they might have been made from one of Fossil’s old uniforms. The thought was unexpectedly repugnant.

He walked back out only when Fossil started to angrily call for him. He went as slowly as he dared. All hope slipped away when Fossil placed his little tape player on the floor by his chair and beckoned him over. At least they were alone and there was no way Fossil was going to want to talk about this after it was over any more than he did.

This was Vince’s fault, he thought bitterly, as the music started. If he wasn’t such a ridiculous flirt then this would never had happened. If he could just not flirt with every woman that came into zoo than Howard wouldn’t have been looking when Fossil arrived. He’d have to find a way to pay him back. It might take him some time… but revenge would be his.

He closed his eyes. And started to dance.

\------

Howard was being weird. Weirder than normal.

He’d been jumpy and irritable since he’d had to work the nightshift the week before. Vince couldn’t understand it, it wasn’t like Howard exactly sought out work, but he didn’t usually sulk like this either when he was forced to do it. Not that it mattered what Howard’s problem actually was, he’d get over it eventually. Only, it made Vince edgy when Howard got like that. He found himself thinking about it all the time, thinking of ways to break Howard out of the mood. It was like he couldn’t be happy until Howard was. It was annoying.

Then Vince made a huge mistake. He asked Leroy about it. He’d mostly managed to break the habit of asking him about Howard, seeing as how Leroy had taken to just rolling his eyes and shaking his head like Vince was an idiot. He didn’t know why; Leroy was well strange sometimes. He hadn’t expected this time to be any different. But it was different, because he seemed to know exactly why Howard was being such a freak.

“Him and Fossil have probably broken up,” he said, with a shrug and a slurp of his tea.

Vince had laughed loudly, throwing his head back in mirth before he noticed that Leroy wasn’t laughing. Something cold and heavy filled his stomach. “What are you on, you tit box?”

It turned out that Leroy had been looking for Howard at the zoo the week before. Howard had owed him twenty euros for about ten years and every couple of months he remembered and asked Howard for it back. Of course Howard never had the money and Leroy would forget again. But this time, he hadn’t managed to speak to him. Because when he’d finally found Howard, he hadn’t been alone.

“No way,” Vince said when he was done with his story, leaning back in his chair. He could hear a rushing in his ears and something strange and hot creeping up his throat. “You’ve gone wrong.”

Leroy raised a shoulder in a show of disinterest at Vince’s disbelief. “Fossil was taking photos. I bet they’re in his office if you wanted proof.”

Vince didn’t want proof. He didn’t want to think about it ever again. It was sick. What the hell would Howard have been doing dancing for Fossil? Leroy’s insinuation that they were together was the most stupid thing Vince had ever heard. But, then, Howard giving anyone a lap dance was also the most stupid thing Vince had ever heard. Besides, he had the sickening feeling that Leroy wasn’t messing about. For one thing Leroy was rubbish at lying and for another he hadn’t seemed bothered if Vince believed him or not.

Vince managed to pretend to himself that he didn’t believe Leroy for about a day and a half. But during that time he became more and more anxious, prone to dropping things and staring off into space feeling a mixture of dread and confusion. He considered asking Howard but then dismissed it. There was no way Howard would admit it even if it was true, and if it wasn’t he’d never let Vince live it down.

By Friday he couldn’t take it anymore and sent Fossil a message via Joey that his mother had potentially been seen near the zoo. It would buy him at least half a day of Fossil hiding in the cleaning cupboard. Vince might have felt bad about triggering one of Fossil’s breakdowns at another time, but he was too focused on finding the truth.

And find it he did.

Right there in the desk’s second-draw (Fossil thought everyone gave up looking after the first draw and so kept all his valuables there). He pulled out the small stack of photos and stared at them in utter horror. It was Howard, he could tell that immediately even though the first few weren’t of his face. He blinked at them for a long time before swallowing and putting them in his pocket and hurrying from the room.

He didn’t know what to do with them after that, he hadn’t got a plan when he took them and couldn’t think of anything after he left. It felt like they were burning a hole right through the pocket of his jacket as he tried to go back about his work.

He took them out every so often and looked at them, trying to discern their meaning. Was it possible that Howard had wanted to dance for Fossil? Was Leroy right and they were dating? A few days ago Vince would have laughed himself sick at the thought, but a lot had happened since then.

He shook his head. Howard was desperate, but he wasn’t that desperate. He hated Fossil. He wouldn’t do something like this unless he really had to. So had Fossil somehow managed to force Howard into it? He felt a pang of concern at the thought. But then why hadn’t Howard told him if that was the case?

“Vince?” Howard’s voice made Vince jump a few days later. He’d been staring into space and hadn’t noticed the other man entering the keepers’ hut. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”  
  
Vince shrugged. “That’s alright.”

Howard reached past Vince to pick up a mug but paused instead of walking over to the kettle, the beginnings of a frown on his face. “You alright, little man?”

“Huh?” Vince asked, suddenly panicked that Howard had somehow figured out what Vince had done, what he knew.

“You seem out of sorts,” Howard said. “Are you ill?” Vince didn’t have time to come up with a lie before he slapped a massive hand on Vince’s forehead, making him stumble.

“Leave off,” Vince huffed. Normally he might have liked Howard codling him a bit, but he just wanted to be left alone. He worried for a moment that Howard was going to argue, but instead he shrugged and made them a cup of tea in silence.

It was a week later that he thought to just ask. Howard was mooing over Mrs Gideon again when Fossil demanded Howard come to his office, and Vince was just so baffled that he couldn’t help it. If Fossil was blackmailing Howard why wouldn’t he just tell Vince? Weren’t they mates? Vince would be able to help.

He’d meant to ask gently, in a supportive way, but it came out all wrong, like he was taking the piss instead. Not that it mattered, because Howard didn’t even deny it. Not really, just got a weird look and insisted that he was playing Fossil.

A wave of annoyance washed over him at Howard’s casual admittance. It was like he didn’t care that Vince knew; he just hadn’t bothered to tell him. Howard was always doing that, shutting Vince out of his life when all Vince wanted to do was help.

He suddenly had the overwhelming urge to be literally anywhere else. He muttered an excuse and tried to not make it seem it like he was storming from the room.

He waited outside the hut, wondering if Howard might come after him. But of course he just sprinted past Vince towards Fossil’s office. Vince paused for a moment, wondering if he ought to see what Fossil wanted with Howard, but told himself very firmly that he didn’t care. If Howard didn’t care enough to tell him, then Vince wasn’t going to care if Howard was in trouble.

Only, if he were being totally honest, the problem was he did care. Howard apparently had a whole other life he was living behind Vince’s back. He was off running scams on Fossil and doing lap dances in the moonlight while Vince was left literally shoveling shit all day.

Howard had done it before too, going behind Vince’s back. Years ago, he’d come over to Vince’s house out of the blue and announced he was going to university. In Leeds. Apparently he was going ‘back home’ to become a great philosopher or something. At first Vince had thought he meant in a few years, when Vince was done with school and could go with him. But no. He’d meant in a couple of months. Vince had offered to drop out of school, it wasn’t like he was going to get any GCSEs anyway, but Howard had refused. ‘Education was important’ and Vince needed to finish school and then maybe he could come and see Howard in Leeds.

It had felt like Vince’s whole world was ending that day, and the thought that Howard was about to do it to him again made Vince an odd mix of terrified and furious. It had taken ages for things not to be weird after Vince came to the join Howard zoo after he dropped out of uni. He didn’t want to think that Howard was about to do that again, but he couldn’t be sure. Not anymore.

He was so distracted with his thoughts that he jumped when Howard opened the door to the enclosure Vince was sweeping. He plastered a smile on his face, not wanting Howard to know that he was bothered. “Hey,” he said, with a nod.

“Hey,” Howard said, before pressing his lips into a thin line of displeasure. Howard always carried his emotions around with him like a cloud, it was as easy to judge his mood as it was to judge the weather by looking out the window.

“How’d it go with Fossil?” he prompted, when Howard didn’t immediately launch into the monologue about his woes like Vince knew he wanted to.

“Well, not great. You’re not going to believe this,” he said, gesturing. “What he wants me to do, right, is fight with a kangaroo.”

Vince frowned in confusion and stopped sweeping. “What?”

“To make money,” Howard clarified with an annoyed flick of his head.

Vince’s frown deepened. That did make sound like something Fossil would do, but, “A kangaroo?”

“Yeah!” Howard snapped, “Me! One on one with a kangaroo.”

“You’d get your head smashed off!” Vince said, alarm fluttering in his chest.

“I know! It’s ridiculous. The man’s insane. I’m not doing it.” Howard paused and Vince watched him, waiting for to continue; Howard wasn’t a fighter, so there was no way he’d agree to something so dangerous but he also clearly hadn’t told Fossil to shove it otherwise he wouldn’t have come to Vince with it.  “The thing is,” he said, gesturing with a large envelope he’d been carrying under his arm, “he’s got pictures of me naked.”

Vince’s brain stuttered and then his whole body wanted to flush all at once. “What?” Vince spluttered, his mind went immediately to the pictures of Howard that he’d taken from Fossil’s office and felt a flush of guilt. But he didn’t have time to ask anything more because Howard barrelled on.

“Which he says he’s gonna put up round the zoo if I don’t fight, you know?”

“So what?” Vince asked. Clearly Howard wasn’t shy if he was posing for multiple photos of himself in varying states of undress.

“I’m not bothered,” Howard agreed immediately. “I’m mean I’m not – I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of, but..”

“Who cares?” Vince nodded, not sure where this was going, but taking the envelope Howard was holding out to him.

“…It’s just slightly embarrassing,” Howard finished, looking uncomfortable.

Still confused, Vince opened the envelope. “People see pictures of naked people all the time,” he started, pulling out a picture, “I mean it’s not really going to make any – Oooaaaww!” Vince hadn’t been prepared for the pose was the thing. He’d be expected something similar to the photos he’s already seen. These… were not like that. “Chriiiiiist!”

“What?” Howard asked, clearly agitated. “What’s the matter?”

Vince floundered for a moment, unsure how to answer. There were a lot of words that wanted to leave his mouth, but all them were embarrassing and involved Vince having to admit his mouth was suddenly dry and his heart was racing.

He wasn’t going to be proud of what he did next, but he was panicked and needed to get out of the enclosure as fast as possible before Howard noticed the effect the photos were having on him. “What’s that?” he shrieked, his voice was high pitched with shock which helped sell his mock outrage.

Howard frowned and turned his head to the side. “Everyone’s got that, haven’t they?” Vince could tell that he was trying to sound casual but was missing by several miles.

“No, that business there!” Vince pointed at random at the picture, he was as far away from Howard as he could get, his back pressed tightly against the wall. He needed some space, but Howard was just pressing closer, trying to look at what Vince was seeing.

“That’s just normal, isn’t it?” Howard said, but Vince could tell that he didn’t believe what he was saying. Which was pretty weird, but not something Vince was in any condition to think about.

Howard was attractive. Vince had always known that on some level, but he’d managed to do a pretty good job, with admittedly a lot of help from Howard, of putting him into a box that said, “Not interested in sex”. Those photos… they told a very different story and Vince didn’t know how to cope with that idea.

“You’re a freak!” he managed and threw the pictures onto the floor not wanting to hold them anymore. It was too much.

“What do you mean?” Howard persisted, but all Vince could do was shake his head. “It’s just this, Vince!” Then to Vince’s horror, he began to unbutton his shirt.

Vince tried in vain to back away, but just smacked into the wall. “I don’t want to see it live!” he squeaked, which was very true, although not for the reasons he was suggesting.

Howard had opened his shirt, his face a mask of confused fear. “Vince, look! It’s just that!”

Vince tried to close his eyes and find the handle to the door at the same time. What felt like several millennia later he fumbled it open and was able to flee the room. He managed to choke out a few more words as he went but wasn’t entirely sure what they were before he slammed the door behind him.

He felt terrible the moment he left. He suspected he might have really hurt Howard’s feelings, although why he wasn’t sure. When he’d looked at the pictures he’d not seen much above the waist and clearly whatever Howard was worried about was on his chest. But Vince had no clue what it was. Although now he thought about it, the other man had always been weirdly shy about his body. He’d always insisted on getting changed in the loo if they went swimming or turned away to slip into his pyjamas. Not that Vince was trying to look or anything. Not back then. It wasn’t something Howard had grown out of either; he always wore his shirts buttoned up all the way to the neck, he even zipped up his jacket. Vince wondered what had got him so spooked, but knew it was too late to ask now.

He was still trying to figure out what he was going to say when he saw him again when Howard slouched over to where he was sitting on a bench.

“Do you mind if I sit down?” He seemed so downbeat that Vince figured he better match his mood and so nodded solemnly. “What am I gonna do?”

He had no idea how to answer that and so went to the safety of a joke. “Have you thought about joining the circus?” Howard’s mouth didn’t quite turn up, but his eyes lit up a bit at the joke. Vince’s stomach did another flutter and he hurried on without thinking. “You better do something, otherwise we’re in trouble.”

“How are you in trouble?”

That stung. Why couldn’t Howard see that they were a team? If something happened to Howard, it happened to Vince. It was so frustrating that he couldn’t help the jab that slipped out in response. “Well, Mick Jagger didn’t hang out with the Elephant Man, did he?”

The blow barely seemed to register, Howard just sighed and asked, “What am I gonna do, more to the point. Yeah? Mrs Gideon finds out about this, it’s over for me.”

The mention of the other keeper did something strange to Vince. He had the odd desire to smack Howard about the head. He managed to restrain himself but couldn’t stop the words from coming out. “What about if you fight the kangaroo?”

“What?”

Now the suggestion was out there, it didn’t seem like such a bad idea. “Imagine if you fight the kangaroo and beat it. It’ll be amazing. You’ll be dangerous! You’ll have edge! You’ll be a pirate!” he said excitedly, then added quickly, “Gideon will be all over you like a flannel,” realising that he was coming across as a bit too into the idea of Howard all sweaty and heroic.

“Yeah well that’s a good plan,” Howard said like he actually meant it. Vince could count the number of times he’d said that one hand. It made his chest tight and face want to heat with pleasure.

“It’s perfect!” he agreed, feeling elated after so many days of worrying that Howard was getting ready to leave him.

“One problem,” Howard said, some of the excitement gone from his voice. “How do I beat a kangaroo?”

If Vince hadn’t been so keen to get Howard to agree with him again, he probably wouldn’t have said what he did next. As it was, he just wanted Howard to smile at him again and perhaps make up for his reaction to the photos while he was at it. “I’ll train you up,” he suggested and then immediately felt stupid.

Only then Howard said, “You?” like it was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard. Which was just rude.

“Yeah!” he huffed, feeling indignant at Howard’s disbelief.

“You’ll train me up?” Howard repeated, his voice flat.

“Yeah. I’m a cockney bitch!” Vince insisted. It wasn’t untrue; he’d been in more fights than Howard had, had learned how to look after himself plenty when he was younger.

“What?”

“I’m a ragamuffin from the streets!” he said, remembering all the times he’d had to face off against bullies while they were at school. He wasn’t sure why Howard was denying it, like Vince hadn’t got them out of enough fights over the years.

“You’re a French duke, if ever I saw one. You lie around in hammocks all day, eating soft cheese,” Howard said, with something that might have been a grin under all the mocking.

That wasn’t actually a bad comparison, and Vince had to fight not to grin at the image. “Listen,” he said, punching the air and trying to play up his accent, “I’m a chimney sweep. I could train you up.” Then when that clearly sounded stupid, invented, “All my family are into boxing. All of them. Even my aunty, she loves it. My family are nutters. My uncle once punched a man so hard, his legs became trombones. It was genius. It was embarrassing! The man had to leave the ring like this.” He leapt to his feet, wanting to prove his made up point, but also hoping that it might make Howard smile. He did a little step dance, singing a trombone ditty to match the movements.

“Are you gonna help me or you gonna do a little dance?” he asked, his tone clipped. But, Howard was looking at him like he actually believed him. Believed in him. Vince felt a mix of pleasure and dread flood his stomach

“Come on,” he said, forcing a grin onto his face. “Let’s get going.”

It was the perfect plan, Vince told himself firmly, as they headed back to the keepers’ hut. They could spend time together and Vince could show Howard what a great team they were. Surely that would change his mind if he was planning on leaving again.

But then things got weird.

By the time Vince realised what fighting a kangaroo would actually mean, it was far, far too late to admit that he’d made everything else up. It was only made harder by Howard actually being nice to him too. He seemed invested in everything that Vince was doing, even agreeing to wear the outfit Vince made for him so they’d match.

Vince had concocted the plan to make Howard realise that he liked him, wanted to be around him, maybe let him throw a friendly arm around his shoulder. But when it actually worked, rather than being pleased, Vince just felt terrible about it. He just couldn’t bring himself to admit he’d lied about everything; Howard might never speak to him again, so he threw himself entirely into finding a way for Howard to win.

If lead up to the fight had been some of the most anxious times of his life, it was nothing compared to the fight itself. It was probably the most awful twenty minutes of Vince’s life. He’d been convinced that Howard was going to die to moment it started. He’d hoped blindly that Howard would somehow have picked something up in training. But then there was blood everywhere and it felt like Vince was going to be sick. He’d pleaded with Howard to give up, but he wouldn’t and Vince was forced to watch him get himself mauled to death by a giant marsupial.

But he didn’t die.

He actually won. With Vince’s help, of course, but it was still unbelievable. And it was Vince he ran to and threw his arms around when it happened. Vince wasn’t sure he’d ever been so happy in his life.

Only then he was being pushed aside so Howard could bellow Mrs Gideon’s name and everything went totally to shit, because Howard wasn’t capable of not messing things up for himself even for a moment. Vince personally thought everyone’s reactions were pretty unfair, although maybe the fact that Howard was also flashing everyone didn’t help.

Either way, everyone reacted like the tits they always were and Howard was back to moody and depressed by the time they left the gym. He didn’t even argue when Vince suggested that they kip at the keepers’ hut again. He just followed Vince back there silently, looking at his feet, a deep frown on his face. Howard muttered about going to shower and disappeared as soon as they were inside, leaving Vince to watch him go and worry at his bottom lip nervously.

He’d admitted a lot of what he’d done to Howard already, but not all of it. Not the reasons why he’d done it. He probably didn’t need to. Howard was going to let it go. He knew the routine well enough; one or other of them did something to get them in trouble, they nearly got out of it, then didn’t quite manage it and then they both mutually (and silently) agreed to never speak of it again. It was for the best. The last thing he needed was to mess up the delicate balance that had settled between them since he came to the zoo. Howard would leave for sure if he did that. By the time he was changed for bed he’d decided not to say anything. It was better for both of them just to put the whole thing to rest.

Only Howard looked so sad when he came back from the shower, pyjamas buttoned all the way up to his neck, that he couldn’t say nothing.

“It’s really not a big deal, Howard,” he said gently as the other man fussed about getting ready to climb into his sleeping bag.

“It certainly didn’t seem that way when Mrs Gideon ran screaming from the room,” Howard said, his voice clipped but Vince could hear the hurt under it.

“Well,” Vince said, “she was probably just surprised. But, it’s not-” he paused, not sure what he should say and what might set Howard off. Vince sometimes got it wrong and then Howard would never want to talk about it again. “Extra nipples really ain’t that weird. One in eighteen people have them.”

Howard froze for a moment before turning to Vince with narrowed eyes, his face pinched. “How’d you know that?”

Vince shrugged. “I looked it up. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Howard.”

“That’s not what Timmy Shalton said,” Howard muttered, looking down at his hands.

“Timmy Shalton?” Vince asked in utter confusion. “The angry ginger kid at school?”

“He got the other boys to beat me up after PE when he saw them.”

“Well, he was a moron,” Vince said, fury rising in his chest. “I caught him eating glue once.”

Howard’s moustache twitched but he didn’t say anything. He just ducked his head and played with the mugs next to the kettle without making any real move to make the tea. “Do you think-” he started and then trailed off.

“What?” Vince asked, crossing the tiny space to try and catch Howard’s eye.

“Nothing,” he sighed. Then, because it was Howard and his desire to moan always won out over his embarrassment, he added, “Is that why no one ever fancies me?”

Vince’s heart froze in his chest and he let out a long breath. “Come on, Howard,” he said. “That’s not true.”

“It is, sir,” Howard said and then started to make tea with such focus that Vince knew he just didn’t want to make eye contact. “Even Fossil just wanted to take photos of me to blackmail me.”

“Is that why you danced for him?” Vince asked. He wasn’t sure why the words decided to come out then. Perhaps just because it was easier than dealing with the other things Howard was saying.

The question clearly got his attention. He froze mid-way to filling the kettle. Then he seemed to recover slightly, and very deliberately turned the tap on. “What? No, I told you, that was a ruse. I was playing him.”

Vince didn’t believe him any more this time than he had when Howard first tried to give him the excuse. “But, how come he managed to get them pictures of you so you had to fight the kangaroo?”

“It’s a long story,” Howard tried, but he was rattled, Vince could feel the anxiousness coming off him in waves.

“Well, I ain’t exactly going anywhere,” Vince pointed out. “And maybe I can help.”

“I don’t think so,” Howard said, returning the kettle to the side and turning it on. “It doesn’t matter, I’m going to have to leave the country anyway. Move somewhere where no one knows my shame.”

Vince felt panicked, he wouldn’t put it passed Howard to think something so over-dramatic was fitting. “Come on,” he tried again. “It’s not that bad.”

“People threw things at me,” Howard said. “If I stay here, I’ll die alone and unloved.”

He looked so sad that Vince wanted to reach out to him. He placed a hand gently on Howard’s arm. “No you won’t.”

“When you saw the photos you fled the room!” Howard said, still not meeting Vince’s eye and tensing under his touch. “And we’re friends, imagine what a romantic partner might do.”

“I was just surprised!” Vince interjected. “I didn’t expect you to be in them poses, that’s all! I didn’t even know you were that flexible.”

Howard moved his arm away from Vince’s hand and continued to make tea. “It’s fine,” he said softly. “I should be used to it by now, but I had hoped that one day someone would… But, it’s fine. I’ll just concentrate on my art.”

Usually Vince would have taken this obvious opening to tease Howard about the fact he didn’t even know which way to hold a paintbrush, but he couldn’t. He knew, for one thing, this was all his fault. He owed it to Howard to try and make it up to him. “That’s not true, Howard. Plenty of people have fancied you.”

“Don’t patronise me, Vince,” he snapped, moving from morose to irritable seamlessly. “Name one person.”

“Me,” Vince heard himself say. He hadn’t meant to. Would never have dreamed he would have just admitted it so easily in a million years. Perhaps it was the desperation to make Howard understand, to show that he didn't have to leave, that made the word slip passed his lips.

“What?” Howard asked, his head whipping to Vince. “What are you talking about?”

“Them photos of you were nice,” Vince said, raising his chin defiantly. “I mean, they were well filthy, but you looked fit. I’d fancy you.”

“You mean you’d fancy me if I didn’t have extra nipples and you didn't know me,” Howard said slowly. His eyes were darting all over the room, either looking for escape or possibly checking for traps.

“No,” Vince said. “Come on, Howard, you know I think you’re fit. Clearly so does Fossil.”

Howard blinked at him before obviously deciding to zero on something he could deny. “Fossil doesn’t think I’m attractive, Vince, he thinks he can bully me into doing his bidding because he’s got dirt on me.”

“Not anymore!” Vince said. “Everyone’s seen you naked now, so there’s nothing he can do.”

Howard’s whole face closed off at Vince’s words.

“What?” Vince asked.

“Nothing,” Howard said.

It was so clear that he was lying that Vince wanted to stamp his foot or shake him. Instead he took a step closer. “What, Howard? What’s he got on you?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Howard said, his cheeks flushing.

“Come on,” Vince said. “It can’t be that bad, not worse than them photos!”

Howard kept darting quick looks at Vince and back to the kettle. Vince had to fight down the urge to throw it across the room.

“Look at me, Howard,” he said in the end.

The other man looked for a moment like he was going to pretend he couldn't hear him. But instead he turned very slowly and looked at him. Or very nearly looked at him, his eyes kept slipping away.

“What’s Fossil got on you?” Vince asked again, his heart starting to race. What if it was something really terrible? Something Vince couldn’t save Howard from? The fear he’d felt when Howard had been in the ring was still lingering in the air between them and Vince felt almost sick with it.

Howard swallowed. “Nothing,” he muttered, so quietly that Vince could barely hear him. Then he slowly raised his eyes to meet Vince’s. “Did you mean it?” he asked, his voice uncertain. But there was an intent in the words that made Vince want to shiver.

“Mean what?” he asked, more to buy time than because he didn’t know what Howard was getting at. They were closer than Vince had expected, but the hut wasn’t big and he’d wanted to be able to see Howard’s face. Everything seemed suddenly heightened, the hairs on the back of Vince’s neck were standing on end and his skin was prickling with something that felt like anticipation.

“About,” Howard whispered, pausing to lick his lips and Vince’s eyes tracked the movement closely, “about thinking I’m… attractive.”

Vince swallowed, the air suddenly rushing out of him. His body coiled tight, fight or flight. But while Vince in many ways was a French Duke, he was a ragamuffin from the streets too. He held his ground. “Yeah,” he said. “I’ve… I’ve always thought you were fit, Howard.”

Howard looked up at him, his little eyes wider than Vince had ever seen them. “Really? Why didn’t you say anything?”

Vince shrugged. “I thought you’d figure it out and maybe… put one of your famous moves on me.” He sounded more confident than he felt, the words sounded amused, playful even, rather than shaky and terrified like he actually felt.

He watched closely as the words hit Howard. The other man flushed but then his spine straightened, his chest puffing out. “You were angling for a Moon move?”

Vince’s mouth turned up at the corners. “Only for years and years,” he said.

Then Howard was stepping up to him and taking him in his arms. Then he was dipping him and kissing him. Vince let out a little squeak of surprised delight, then sighed happily into it.

 

\------

Howard was kissing Vince. The thought occurred to him too late to do anything about it. Vince’s words about waiting for Howard to make a move had unlocked something in him that he hadn’t known was even there. He’d talked often about being a man of action, had dreamed of being one, but today was the first day he’d done anything at all to actually live up to the title.

Vince’s arms were wrapped around him and they were kissing. They were snogging. They were in their pyjamas and Howard was having his first kiss with his best friend, who he was in love with, after winning a fight with a kangaroo. This was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He pulled back. “Are you-” he panted, suddenly terrified. “Are you trying to make me feel better about what happened tonight?”

Vince blinked at him. “Yeah,” he said, his eyes huge and cheeks flushed. “Of course.”

Howard felt like he’d been doused in cold water. He let go of Vince, making the other man stumble. This wasn’t what he wanted. Pity was the worst emotion you could elicit. He hated it.

“What the hell are you doing?” Vince demanded, his face a mask of indignance.

“What am I doing?” he asked, turning back to the kettle and clicking it back on to reboil so he didn’t have to look at Vince. “What are you doing? I’m not a charity case, Vince,” he said, despite all evidence to contrary.

“You’ve gone wrong,” Vince huffed. “I don’t think you’re a charity case. I just told you I fancied you and then you kissed me and now you’re in a mood for no reason.”

Howard paused, embarrassment trickling up his spine. “You,” he started and had to stop to gather his courage. “You really meant that?”

“Yes,” Vince huffed. “I just said it. You need me to engrave it in stone or something?”

“Oh,” Howard said. He didn’t have enough courage left to turn back around in case he found that he’d ruined everything.

“Howard,” Vince said firmly, “do you fancy me?”

Howard played with the handle of the mug for a moment, trying to bring forth the words. To his great amazement they appeared. “Yes,” he managed, slowly but firmly. “That’s what Fossil found out. He was threatening to tell you unless I…” He trailed off. Vince knew the rest of the story and he didn’t think reminding him of it was going to exactly play in his favour.

The unmistakable sound of a snigger made his head whip around. Vince had brought a hand to his mouth, but it wasn’t doing anything to mask his obvious laughter. Shame flooded Howard, hot and painful.

“You’re laughing at me?” he snapped. “I’m here bearing my soul and you’re laughing. Thank you very much, sir.”

“Sorry, Howard,” Vince said, dropping his hand and seeming to try and wrestle his face away from the smile that was currently tugging at his lips. “I’ve just been waiting for so long for you to say it, that it’s making me laugh. I’m nervous is all.”

Vince’s words, calmed him. He turned his body back around so they were nearly touching. “For how long?”

He watched as Vince shrugged a shoulder. “Since you left for uni,” he said, then dropped his eyes to the floor.

Howard suddenly understood Vince’s urge to giggle; he felt such a rush of joy it didn’t feel like he’d be able to keep it all inside his body. But instead of laughing he took a step forward. Vince looked up at him. “That’s a long time,” Howard said, his voice dropping at their proximity.

“I guess,” Vince muttered. “I kept thinking I’d stop feeling it, but…” He dropped his gaze to the floor, his cheeks going rosy, but he was smiling. “You look too good in your uniform.”

Warmth spread out from the centre of Howard’s chest right the way down to his toes, making them curl against the rug under his feet. “You think I look good in my uniform?”

Vince looked up at him through his lashes and bit his lip. “Come on, Howard,” he muttered, clearly embarrassed.

But Howard was too giddy with excitement to mind that he didn’t confirm it. “I’d like,” he started, and had to stop to get a hold of the shake in his voice. “I’d like to kiss you.”

“About time,” Vince said, grinning again. “I’ve only been saying-”

Howard didn’t wait for him to finish whatever he was about to say. He leant in and kissed him hard. He wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close. It was a better kiss than the first, which Howard would scarcely have believed possible at the time. This time Vince melted against him, opening his mouth to Howard. His hands went to Howard’s hair, tugging at the curls before dropped to cup the back of his head.

Howard groaned. He was already overwhelmed but had no intention of stopping. “I-” Howard started, not sure what he wanted to say, too many words were pressing against his chest, desperate to get out. “I’m sorry I waited so long to kiss you.”

“Me too,” Vince said. His eyes had gone a bit unfocused and Howard couldn’t believe how beautiful he looked. “This is genius.”

A kiss was the best response Howard could come up with. But it was already not enough, Vince was pressed against him tightly and it was obvious how turned on they both were. Vince could hardly have failed to notice Howard’s erection pressed against his stomach. But he didn’t seem to mind, not judging by the way he was pressing his own back against him tightly.

Howard didn’t actually know much about the moves he ought to do from here. He’d read the literature, of course. He’d also spent quite a lot of time thinking about enacting them with Vince over the last few weeks. But it seemed different in practice. The first step would surely be to remove some clothes. He ran a hand under Vince’s t-shirt, huffing out in pleasure at the feeling of the warm skin of his back. Vince moaned into the kiss and Howard’s knees went a bit weak. Feeling bolder than he could have ever imagined, he tugged at the hem of Vince’s t-shirt, stepping back from the kiss so he could pull it over the other man’s head. His eyes darted over Vince’s chest for a moment before he stepped back in to kiss him again. Vince’s hands went to Howard’s pyjamas immediately, tugging at the buttons.

Howard didn’t intend to, but his hands shot out to Vince’s, holding them in place. The excitement of just moments before had been replaced with fear. Vince frowned up at him seeming frustrated before his face smoothed out in understanding and he smiled softly.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, batting Howard’s hands away and kissing him on the corner of his mouth. “It’s alright.”

He made quick work of the buttons on his top and Howard could do little more than stand rooted to the spot, his heart hammering in terror. He held his breath as Vince pushed the fabric aside and stepped back to look at him. He wanted to slouch, attempt to hide, but Vince’s gaze held him in place. Very slowly, Vince reached out and placed a hand on Howard’s bare skin. It made him shiver, even through his fear. Then Vince smiled. A genuine smile of affection and appreciation. He traced the tips of his finger up Howard’s rib cage, then over his chest, right the way up to his collarbone.

“Well fit,” he said softly.

Howard might have huffed dismissively, pulling closed his pyjamas but for the fact it didn’t seem like Vince was even saying it to him, the words seemed more for himself. So instead of ruining the moment like he wanted to, he shrugged off the top altogether and stepped back to Vince and kissed him. It was much better with their skin now touching. It made Howard feel reckless and happy. Not feelings he was used to at all.

His hands found their way to Vince’s arse and he pulled him closer, making them both moan into each other’s mouths. He’d spent a lot of time thinking about touching Vince like this, watching his arse when he thought the other man wasn’t looking. He’d never have dared hoped he’d be able to do this. His hands flexed, wanting to feel, wanting to soak it all in. Vince’s hips rocked into Howard in response, the other man moaning into the kiss again.

The next step was clear and seemed urgent in its need, so Howard manoeuvred them over to the sleeping bags and carefully down onto them. He only had a moment to think it might have been better if there was a bed before Vince was pulling Howard down on top of him.

The new position was immediately proved to be better when Vince was able to arch up into him. Howard’s cock throbbed urgently in the soft fabric of his trousers. This was not going to last very long unless he did something that didn’t involve friction. So, he pulled back from the kiss, propping himself up on one arm. He looked down at Vince; his skin was flushed and he was smiling up at Howard with a slightly dazed look on his face.

Howard ran his fingers over Vince’s bare skin, just like Vince had done earlier. He watched in fascination as Vince’s eyes fluttered closed and goose bumps erupted over his skin as Howard traced his fingers lightly over it. He ran them over Vince’s chest and then down to his belly, spreading his hand flat over the slight rise of it, delighted at the fact he could cover most of it. He was tracing the outline of Vince’s bellybutton when Vince started to wriggle. Howard looked up to find Vince’s eyes screwed shut before flicking his eyes back down to Vince’s hips. He was squirming under the touch and Howard withdrew his hand suddenly concerned he was doing something unpleasant. But it didn’t look like Vince was trying to get away from him. The outline of his cock, hard and straining in his pyjamas, suggested that he was enjoying the attention. He held his breath as he reached out to trace the outline of it with on finger.

“Oh, Howard,” Vince sighed, throwing an arm over his eyes, his chest starting to rise and fall more quickly.

He felt powerful and elated as he continued to touch Vince through the thin layer of fabric. At first he used just the tips of his fingers, but then pressed the flat of his hand against him. Vince arched under him with a groan.

“Jesus,” Vince moaned. “Howard…”

It was too much, Howard reached up and pulled at the waistband of Vince’s pyjamas, tugging them down and then off. He swallowed as he looked at him. He felt so lucky and overwhelmed that he was able to see him like this, that Vince was letting him see him so vulnerable, that Howard had to kiss him again. Vince’s arms wrapped around Howard’s back, pulling him down. But he couldn’t seem to keep his hands still, he reached down so he could touch Vince.

“Oh,” Vince moaned into the kiss when Howard took him into his hand.

Howard’s own cock twitched again, the urge to touch himself was almost all consuming. But instead he concentrated on moving his hand slowly over Vince. He made a light fist so he could pump him slowly. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected Vince to be like during sex – his imagination never seemed to be able to take him beyond kissing – but he wasn’t sure he’d have dared to believe how responsive he’d be. It wasn’t like Vince had any shame anyway, but the way he was writhing under Howard’s touch, the noises he was making, it was all too good.

He didn’t know what he was doing really, only that he wanted more. More sensations, more noises from Vince, more of everything. He shifted down and took Vince into his mouth.

“Oh my God,” Vince breathed, like something amazing had just happened.

Howard felt ten feet tall. There was no way he was good, his technique was probably all over the place, but he hoped he was at least making up for it with enthusiasm. He was nothing if not a dedicated student and he was throwing himself into this new task with all the passion he could muster. It was so good, he hadn’t expected giving pleasure to feel like that. But it was incredible, the taste, the smell, the feeling of Vince heavy and hot on his tongue. He couldn’t have stopped his hand moving to the front of his pyjama bottoms to rub himself even if he’d been aware he was doing it.

Vince’s hands were in his hair, his breathing ragged as he tugged on the curls. “Oh,” he moaned, “Oh Howard, yes. That’s… oh my God, Howard.”

Perhaps the insistent way Vince was tugging at his hair and the increased frequency of his calls should have altered him, but he was still surprised when Vince came into his mouth. His hips arched up into Howard’s mouth and it was all Howard could do to pull back and swallow before it was over.

He sat up and blinked down at Vince in surprise. The other man didn’t look quite as pleased as Howard would have hoped. His eyes were wide, almost worried. “Howard,” he said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I was-”

Howard kissed him, feeling such a rush of affection for the other man that he didn’t know what else to do with it. “You’re perfect,” he whispered as he pulled back.

Vince looked utterly amazed for a moment before he was pushing Howard onto his back. “You can’t say things like that,” he said, already pulling at Howard’s pyjama bottoms, pulling them off and throwing them across the hut.

“I can and I will, sir,” Howard countered, trying to cover his nervousness at being so exposed. “As often as I can.”

But Vince wasn’t listening, he was staring at his cock. There was no doubt about that, his eyes huge and face still flushed. “Fuck,” Vince said before sinking down to kiss a path over Howard’s stomach.

He understood immediately how Vince must have felt earlier, why he’d been so unable to hold still. Every nerve ending seemed to be on fire as Vince kissed a trail over his skin, pausing to nip gently at the skin over Howard’s hips. Howard gritted his teeth and bunched the sleeping bags in his hands tightly. All he wanted was to rub himself against Vince, his cock was leaking and harder than he thought it had ever been. He needed release.

Thankfully, patience wasn’t one of Vince’s defining characteristics. He was ducking his head and taking Howard into his mouth before Howard had much of a chance to do anything but close his eyes. The feeling was intense. More than anything Howard had experienced. Heady and exhilarating. But also earthy and carnal, primal and right. He opened his eyes, wanting to see it.

“Oh Christ,” he managed and had to close them again. Vince’s mouth stretched around him while he sunk down his shaft and pulled back up was too much.

There was no thought before it happened, but he was soon tugging at Vince’s arm. “Vince,” he half panted, half sobbed. “Vince, I’m so close. I want,” he had to stop because Vince chose that moment to moan around him and it felt for a moment like Howard was just going to pass out from the pleasure. “Vince, I want to see you.”

The other man paused, looking up at Howard through his eyelashes before pulling off him. The wet popping sound as he did so was going to be enough for Howard to get off to for the rest of his life if he needed to. Thankfully, Vince seemed to understand what Howard meant even though he didn’t. He crawled up to kiss him, taking Howard’s cock in his hand and stroking him.

Howard opened his eyes to find Vince looking down at him, his pupils blown wide. “Oh, Vince,” he sighed and arched up to kiss him.

He was coming before he knew what was happening. He thought he might have shouted out, but it was distant, like his soul had temporarily left his body. Waves over pleasure were crashing over him, making him twitch. Vince was pressing soft kisses over his eyes and forehead when he came back to himself. He blinked his eyes open to find Vince still looking down at him.

Everything had changed. They both knew it as the looked at each other. Nothing would be the same between them. Howard was certainly never going to be the same.

 _Thank goodness_ , he thought urgently and surged up to kiss Vince.

“I love you, Howard,” Vince whispered between urgent kisses. “I’m sorry about this week I-”

“Hey,” Howard said, cupping Vince’s face gently. “I love you, too.”

Watching the grin spread across Vince’s face was the best thing he’d ever seen. Better than winning a fight against a killer kangaroo. Better than seeing Vince naked. Better even than the orgasm he’d just had. He wanted to be the reason for that smile for the rest of his life.

“Yeah?” Vince asked, seeming almost shy.

“Yeah,” Howard agreed, running a thumb across his cheek. “Very much.”

“Genius,” Vince muttered and kissed him again.

Howard relaxed into it, pulling Vince as close as he could get. It was amazing, he mused as Vince kissed him like it was all he wanted to do in the world, the power of words.

Perhaps he’d managed to master them after all.

**THE END**

 

 

 


End file.
